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Many of us would openly, and in most cases, proudly admit to having a regular skin care regime. Many of us have regular appointments at the hairdresser and more and more book time at the local gymnasium. However how many of us can declare that we have a regular tooth care regime beside a quick brush of the teeth a few times a day? Sadly there are far too many people who neglect their teeth and suffer from tooth decay than is really necessary.

When I was young I was forced to sit in the dentist chair and suffer the uncomfortable experience of disgusting tasting gel trickling down my throat. Yes, like many children I had regular fluoride treatments on my teeth. Regular appointments at the dentist, constant inspections, numerous treatments and yet I find that I still suffer terribly from tooth decay. Sadly I have only myself to blame. No matter how well prepared you are in life it is how you choose to lead your life that makes the ultimate difference and I chose to eat far too many sweet foods and spent too little time looking after my teeth.

If we do not brush our teeth after eating some of our food will remain around our teeth. This leads to increased bacterial action in the mouth. Around 500 various chemicals are produced from the bacteria and the most harmful to our teeth is acid. Sadly our teeth are prone to attack from acid and, if bacteria are allowed to run riot, cavities can begin to appear. In a very short space of time the cavities can collapse leaving a hole in the tooth.

Streptococcus mutans is the name given to the harmful bacteria which causes tooth decay. The speed of decay depends upon many factors and this means that different people have different experiences. Holes can appear in teeth as quickly as six months but in other cases it can take far longer, maybe even up to seven or eight years before the tough enamel eventually falls apart to form a hole.

Cavities often appear between the teeth in those difficult to reach places. However your dental care regime should not rely on the toothbrush as flossing is the most effective way to clean between the teeth and thus avoid this type of decay.

Another way in which to avoid cavities and tooth decay is to regularly use mouthwash. Just take a look at how many different types of mouthwash are available to choose from. Surely this tells you something of the importance of it’s use? Not only does mouthwash help to keep your breath smelling nice and fresh it’s main benefit is it’s antibacterial action which lowers the levels of bacteria in the mouth and therefore reduces the risk of the tooth damaging acids from forming in the first place.

There are a number of ways in which you can stop tooth decay. The best way to do it is to follow good dental hygiene and avoid those things that are known to cause damage in the teeth. Here are the four most common causes; 1. Failure to brush and floss the teeth often enough. 2. Including too much sugar in the diet. Check the amount of sugar in all processed foods. 3. Lack of fluoride. This is relatively rare as many authorities now add fluoride to drinking water and nearly all dental products include fluoride. 4. Tobacco. Smoking, or chewing, tobacco is known to cause cavities.

After reading this article we hope that you now have a greater understanding of the need to develop a good dental care regime at your earliest opportunity. By following the hints and tips above you should be able to avoid the pain and discomfort associated with cavities.

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